Fiber optics deploy reel

ABSTRACT

An adjustable height optical fiber cable reel comprises a first piece having a first base plate and a first tab protruding from the first base plate, the first tab having a first opening and a second opening, a second piece having a second base plate and a second tab protruding from the second base plate, the second tab having a pin. The pin is configured to engage the first opening to lock the adjustable height reel at a first height, and to engage the second opening to lock the adjustable height reel at a second height. The adjustable height reel may also be coupled to a slack storage tray. Optical fiber enclosures may also be configured with adjustable height reels with optional slack storage trays.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/935,330 filed Jul. 22, 2020, and, entitled, “Fiber Optics DeployReel,” the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to optical fiber storage andmanagement, and more particularly to an optical fiber deploy reel.

BACKGROUND

Data, voice, and other communication networks are increasingly usingfiber optics to carry information. In a fiber optic network, eachindividual fiber is generally connected to both a source and adestination device. Additionally, along the fiber optic run between thesource and the destination, various connections or couplings may be madeon the optical fiber to adjust the length of the fiber or to providetermination connection ports for end users at which one or more fibersmay be branched from a feed cable. In instances when the connection maybe exposed to weather conditions, an essentially waterproofconfiguration of components is needed.

To interconnect the cables, various cable connector designs provide forlow insertion loss and stability. Some example connectors may include,but are not limited to, SC, Dual LC, LC, ST and MPO connectors. In mostof these designs, ferrules (one in each connector, or one in theconnector and one in the apparatus or device), each containing anoptical fiber end, are butted together end to end and light travelsacross the junction.

With the increasing desire for completely optical networks, “fiber tothe premises” (FTTP) or “fiber to the home” (FTTH) systems are beingdeveloped to provide optical fibers that extend from the source to thesite of the end-user. Optical fiber enclosures are used for managementof cables that extend to various user locations. There is a need forflexible, customizable fiber distribution and storage solutions that maybe easily reconfigured to accommodate different lengths of optical fibercable for different configurations of optical fiber networks.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, there is provided an adjustable height reelcomprising a first piece having a first base plate and a first tabprotruding from the first base plate, the first tab having a firstopening and a second opening. The adjustable height reel also comprisesa second piece having a second base plate and a second tab protrudingfrom the second base plate, the second tab having a pin. The pin isconfigured to engage the first opening to lock the adjustable heightreel at a first height, and to engage the second opening to lock theadjustable height reel at a second height. The first opening may bedisposed at a distal portion of the first tab and the second opening maybe disposed at a proximal portion of the first tab. The pin may bedisposed at a distal portion of the second tab. The second height may besmaller than the first height.

In some embodiments, the first piece and the second piece may include afirst plurality of tabs, each tab of the first plurality of tabs havinga respective first opening and a respective second opening, and a secondplurality of tabs, each tab of the second plurality of tabs having arespective pin, wherein the respective pins are configured to engage therespective first openings to lock the adjustable height reel at thefirst height, and to engage the respective second openings to lock theadjustable height reel at the second height. The first plurality of tabsand the second plurality of tabs may be arranged in an alternating orderalong each the first piece and the second piece. The first plurality oftabs and the second plurality of tabs may be arranged to form acylindrical structure. The first base plate and the second base platemay have a first diameter and the cylindrical structure formed by thetabs may have a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. Therespective first openings may be disposed at a distal portion of thefirst plurality of tabs and the respective second openings may bedisposed at a proximal portion of the first plurality of tabs. Therespective pins may be disposed at a distal portion of the secondplurality of tabs. The second height may be smaller than the firstheight. In various embodiments, the first piece and the second piece maybe substantially identical.

In various embodiments, the adjustable height reel may further comprisea slack storage tray configured to couple to at least one of the firstpiece and the second piece. At least one of the first piece and thesecond piece may further comprise a central portion having a pluralityof receptacles for coupling to the slack storage tray. The slack storagetray may comprise a plurality of protrusions configured to hold slackfiber.

According to another aspect, there is provided an enclosure comprising ahousing having an interior space and a cover, and an adjustable heightreel configured to mount within the interior space. The adjustableheight reel comprises a first piece having a base plate and a pluralityof tabs emanating therefrom and forming a cylindrical structure at acentral portion of the base plate, wherein the plurality of tabsincludes a first type and a second type arranged in alternating order,each tab of the first type having a respective first opening at a distalportion of the tab and a respective second opening at a proximal portionof the tab, and each tab of the second type having a respective pin at adistal portion of the tab. The adjustable height reel further comprisesa second piece configured substantially identical to the first piece andconfigured to couple to the first piece.

The respective pins of the plurality of tabs of the second type on thefirst piece may be configured to engage the respective first openings ofthe plurality of tabs of the first type on the second piece to lock theadjustable height reel at a first height, and to engage the secondopenings of the plurality of tabs of the first type on the second pieceto lock the adjustable height reel at a second height. The respectivepins of the plurality of tabs of the second type on the second piece areconfigured to engage the respective first openings of the plurality oftabs of the first type on the first piece to lock the adjustable heightreel at the first height, and to engage the second openings of theplurality of tabs of the first type on the first piece to lock theadjustable height reel at the second height. The second height may besmaller than the first height. In some embodiments, the enclosure mayfurther comprise a slack storage tray configured to couple to at leastone of the first piece and the second piece.

The present disclosure is not limited in terms of the particularembodiments described in this application, which are intended asillustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations canbe made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparentto those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an optical fiberenclosure with an adjustable height cable reel installed thereinaccording to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of one embodiment of an adjustableheight cable reel showing the cable reel in high and low positionsaccording to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective views of the disassembled cable reel ofFIG. 2 according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one piece of the cable reel of FIG. 2configured according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the two pieces of the cable reel of FIG. 2prior to assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are side views of the cable reel of FIG. 2 in high andlow positions according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views of the low and high positions ofthe adjustable height cable reel of FIG. 2 coupled to a slack storagetray according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are side views of the low and high positions of theadjustable height cable reel of FIG. 7 according to aspects of thepresent disclosure;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of the disassembled cable reel ofFIG. 7 according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a slack storage trayaccording to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C are top, bottom, and side views respectively ofthe slack storage tray of FIG. 10 according to aspects of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a cable reelaccording to aspects of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 13 is side view of the cable reel of FIG. 12 according to aspectsof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed at optical fiber cabledeploy reels for fiber storage, management and deployment. Embodimentsof the optical fiber cable reels disclosed herein may be configured foruse in optical fiber enclosures, such as wall boxes, pedestals, fiberdistribution cabinets, and terminals at various network locations, forexample, at multi-dwelling units, single family units, cellular towersand business class services. Embodiments of the optical fiber reels maybe configured to accept a variety of optical fiber cables, which allowsthe reels to be integrated into any network architecture and deployment.

Various embodiments of optical fiber reels and enclosures disclosedherein simplify fiber deployment. For example, the distance to a userlocation may be unknown. Embodiments of optical fiber reels disclosedherein may be configured to allow optical fiber cable to be pulled outof an enclosure to a desired length, and any slack storage may be heldin the spool. Thus, various embodiments eliminate the need for exactfiber cable lengths, and protect excess fiber by storing it on thespool. Various embodiments may have a built-in feature that locks thespool in place once the optical fiber has been pulled to the specifiedlocation.

Various embodiments of optical fiber reels disclosed herein may beconfigured to be attached to optical fiber enclosures. Embodiments maybe mounted in different orientations within an enclosure depending onthe desired cable storage, slack, and deployment configuration. Someembodiments may be configured to receive additional cable routingfeatures, such as a connector, adapter, sleeve, etc.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an enclosure 10. The enclosure 10includes a housing 12 defining a storage space. In this embodiment, thehousing 12 is a rectangular wall box. In other embodiments, the housing12 may have a different shape, size, or configuration. The housing 12may be connected to a hinged cover 14 for closing the enclosure 10. Anadjustable height optical fiber reel 16 is mounted to a mounting wall 18of the housing 12 (e.g., via one or more fasteners, clips, etc.) withinthe storage space. In one example, a spindle may be mounted to themounting wall 18 of the enclosure 10, thereby supporting the cable reel16. The housing 12 may further include hinges 22 for connecting thehousing to the cover 14, one or more mounts 24 for mounting theenclosure 10 to a wall or other support structure, and a closuremechanism 26 for securing the cover 14 to the housing 12 at a free endof the cover 14. A grounding mount may also be connected to the mountingwall for providing a grounding location for a cable held in theenclosure 10. The housing 12 of the enclosure 10 may further includeentry/exit ports 28 for a stored cable.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show one embodiment of an adjustable height cable reel30. The reel 30 is shown in a high position in FIG. 2A, and a lowposition in FIG. 2B. The reel 30 comprises two pieces 32 and 34 coupledto each other to form the reel. The first piece 32 forms the top portionof the reel 30, and the second piece 34 forms the bottom portion of thereel. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the disassembled cable reel 30, as viewedfrom the top and bottom, respectively. The top piece 32 is showndecoupled from the bottom piece 34. In this embodiment, the two pieces32 and 34 are symmetrical and identical pieces. In other embodiments,the pieces need not be symmetrical or identical and may have othershapes and configurations.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one piece 34 of the cable reel 30. Asshown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and FIG. 4 , each piece 32 and 34 comprises acircular base plate 36 with a central portion 38. Each piece 32 and 34further comprises a plurality of tabs 40 emanating from the base plate36 towards one side of the base plate, such that each tab 40 issubstantially perpendicular to the base plate 36. The tabs 40 may alsobe angled to facilitate coupling of the pieces 32 and 34 of the reel 30.The plurality of tabs 40 are arranged such that they form a cylindricalportion around the central portion 38 on one side of the base plate 36.Each tab 40 may be slightly curved such that the plurality of tabs 40form a cylindrical shape. The plurality of tabs 40 comprise two types oftabs 40 a and 40 b arranged in an alternating order. In this example,each piece of the reel 30 comprises six tabs, including three tabs 40 aof the first type and three tabs 40 b of the second type. The tabs 40 aand 40 b alternate in order. The tabs 40 a of the first piece 32 areconfigured to couple with the tabs 40 b of the opposite piece 34.Similarly, the tabs 40 b of the first piece 32 are configured to couplewith the tabs 40 a of the opposite piece 34, as described further belowin relation to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

In some embodiments, the central portion 38 may be a separate piece thatmay be coupled to the base plate 36, and the base plate may have acentral opening configured to receive the central portion. In otherembodiments, the central portion 38 may be formed integrally as part ofthe base plate 36. In some embodiments, the tabs 40 may be separatepieces that may be coupled to the base plate 36 and/or the centralportion 38. In other embodiments, the tabs 40 may be formed integrallywith the central portion 38, forming a cylindrical structure with thecentral portion at one end thereof, and the cylindrical structure may bereceived and coupled to a central opening of the base plate 36. In otherembodiments, the tabs 40 may be formed integrally with both the baseplate 36 and the central portion 38. That is, the entire piece 34 may beformed integrally as a single piece.

Referring again to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4 , the central portion 38 has aplurality of receptacles 42 configured to couple the reel 30 to a slackstorage tray, as described further below in relation to FIGS. 7 to 13 .In this embodiment, there are four receptacles 42 arranged equidistantlyapart around the central portion 38. In other embodiments, a differentnumber or arrangement of receptacles may be provided. The centralportion 38 further has a central receptacle 44. The receptacles 42 maybe positioned equidistantly from the central receptacle 44. The centralreceptacle 44 may be configured to receive the shaft of a spindle. Thespindle may be fastened to a mounting wall of an enclosure, such as theenclosure of FIG. 1 , and may be configured to allow the reel 30 torotate within the enclosure. In various embodiments, the base plate 36may further comprise one or more apertures and/or one or more notches.The apertures or notches may be configured, for example, to receivefasteners for coupling the reel to a mounting surface, or may beconfigured to receive optical fiber cables therethrough.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the two pieces 32 and 34 of the cable reel 30prior to assembly. As described above, each piece 32 and 34 comprises abase plate 36 and a plurality of curved tabs 40 comprising tabs 40 a ofa first type and tabs 40 b of a second type. The tabs 40 a and 40 b arearranged in an alternating order such that they form a cylindricalportion protruding on one side of the base plate 36. Each tab 40comprises a proximal portion 46 that is closest to the base plate 36,and a distal portion 48 that is farthest from the base plate. In someembodiments, as shown for example in FIG. 5 , each tab 40 may be shapedsuch that the distal portion 48 of the tab is slightly narrower than itsproximal portion 46. The tabs 40 a and 40 b may be angled to facilitatecoupling of the pieces 32 and 34.

In FIG. 5 , three of the six tabs 40 are shown from the side view of thereel 30. Each tab 40 a of the first and second pieces 32 and 34 has twoopenings 50, including a first opening at the proximal portion 46 of thetab and a second opening at the distal portion 48 of the tab. Each tab40 b of the first and second pieces 32 and 34 has a pin 52 positioned atthe distal portion 48 of the tab. The openings 50 on tabs 40 a areconfigured to receive pins 52 on tabs 40 b so as to couple the firstpiece 32 to the second piece 34. Each pin 52 protrudes radially outwardfrom an exterior surface of each tab 40 b. The pins 52 may be positionedsubstantially perpendicular to the tabs 40 b. In some embodiments, thepins 52 may comprise a tapered portion configured to facilitateinsertion of the pins into corresponding openings 50 on tabs 40 a. Thetwo openings 50 at the proximal and distal portions of the tabs 40 aallow adjustment of the height of the reel 30 to either a low positionor a high position based on whether the pins 52 are inserted into theproximal or distal openings. In this embodiment, two openings atproximal and distal portions of the tabs are provided, thereby allowingtwo discrete height adjustments of the reel. In other embodiments,additional openings may be provided on the tabs, to allow for additionaldiscrete height settings for the reel. In yet other embodiments, adifferent number or configuration of tabs may be provided, or adifferent coupling mechanism may be provided for the pieces forming thereel, while allowing discrete or continuous adjustment of the reelheight.

To assemble the reel by coupling the first piece 32 and the second piece34, the first and second pieces are aligned such that the tabs 40 a ofthe first piece 32 are positioned opposite the tabs 40 b of the secondpiece 34, as shown for example in FIG. 5 . The tabs 40 b of the firstpiece 32 are thus positioned opposite the tabs 40 a of the second piece34. The adjustable height reel 30 is assembled by pushing the two pieces32 and 34 together. The tabs 40 may be angled to ease the assembly whenthe pieces 32 and 34 are pushed together.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are side views of the assembled cable reel 30 in highand low positions respectively. To configure the reel in the highposition as shown in FIG. 6A, the pins 52 of the tabs 40 b on each ofthe first and second pieces 32 and 34 are inserted into the distalopenings 50 of the opposite tabs 40 a. As the pieces 32 and 34 areassembled, the tabs 40 a having the openings 50 are positioned radiallyexterior relative to the tabs 40 b having the pins 52, as the tabs 40 bare pushed inward to insert the pins 52 into the openings 50.

To change the configuration of the reel 30 to the low position as shownin FIG. 6B, the pieces 32 and 34 may be pushed together further untilthe pins 52 slide past the distal openings 50 into the proximal openings50. Alternatively, to configure the reel 30 in a low position, thepieces 32 and 34 may be positioned such that the pins 52 and theopenings 50 are not in alignment. The pins 52 may be slightly off fromthe openings 50 to prevent the pins 52 from engaging the distal opening50. Instead, the pieces 32 and 34 are pushed together until the pins 52are past the distal openings 50. As the pins 52 go past the distalportion of the opposite tabs, the pieces 32 and 34 may be rotated toinsert the pins 52 into the proximal openings 50. The reel 30 may alsobe reconfigured from a low position to a high position, for example, bypushing the tabs 40 b inwards to disengage the pins 52 from the openings50, as the pins 52 act as locks to prevent the pieces 32 and 34 fromdecoupling.

As the first and second pieces 32 and 34 are assembled to form the reel30, the tabs 40 are locked between the respective base plates of thefirst and second pieces. The tabs 40 form an inner cylindrical portionwith a diameter smaller than the diameter of the base plates. Thus,optical fiber cable may be stored between the base plates and around thesmaller diameter cylindrical portion formed by the tabs.

Various embodiments of the adjustable height reels disclosed herein maystore different lengths of optical fiber cable, such as 3 mm fibercable, based on the size and position of the reel. For example, the reel30 of FIG. 6 has a diameter of about 4.55 inches, as shown by thehorizontal arrows in FIG. 6B. The reel 30 has a height of about 1.35inches in the high position, as shown by the vertical arrows in FIG. 6A,and a height of about 0.77 inches in the low position, as shown by thevertical arrows in FIG. 6B. The reel 30 is thus height adjustable byabout 0.58 inches. The reel 30 may hold about 50 feet of 3 mm fibercable in the low position, and about 100 feet of 3 mm fiber cable in thehigh position. Other embodiments of the reel 30 may be sizeddifferently. For example, in another embodiment, the reel may have adiameter of about 6 inches. A 6 inch reel with a height of about 0.77inches in the low position may hold about 100 feet of 3 mm fiber cablein the low position. A 6 inch reel with a height of about 1.35 inches inthe high position may hold about 200 feet of 3 mm fiber cable in thehigh position. The reel may also hold, for example, 125 feet of 4 mm, 24fiber micro cable, or 100 feet of 5.5 mm OSP cable.

Various embodiments of reels may further comprise a slack storage tray.FIGS. 7A and 7B show the low and high positions of the adjustable heightcable reel 30 coupled to a slack storage tray 60. FIGS. 8A and 8B areside views of the low and high positions of the adjustable height cablereel 30 coupled to the slack storage tray 60. The slack storage tray 60is configured to hold, for example, up to about 2 feet of 3 mm fibercable. This is in addition to the length of cable stored in the reel 30.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show perspective top and bottom views of thedisassembled cable reel 30 and the slack storage tray 60. FIG. 10 showsa perspective view of the slack storage tray 60. Referring to FIGS. 9A,9B and 10 , the slack storage tray 60 comprises a base 62 and acircumferential wall 64 forming a cylindrical structure around the base.The circumferential wall 64 may have one or more notches or openingsconfigured to allow entry or exit of slack optical fiber into the slackstorage tray 60. The slack storage tray 60 further comprises a pluralityof protrusions 66 extending at various spaced locations at the base 62and on the circumferential wall 64 and configured as hold-backs forcable slack that may be stored within the slack storage tray. The slackstorage tray 60 further comprises protrusions 67 protruding upward fromthe base 62 and configured for storage of slack fiber within the slackstorage tray.

The slack storage tray 60 further comprises features for mounting thetray to the reel 30. The reel 30 may include a plurality of receptacles42, for example for receiving mating components 68 of the slack storagetray 60. The receptacles 42, in one embodiment, include four locationsand are equally spaced at 90 degrees around the central portion 38 ofthe reel 30. The receptacles 42 may be aligned with the matingcomponents 68 of the slack storage tray 60 in some embodiments. Twomating components 68 protrude from the bottom of the slack storage tray60 as shown in FIG. 9B, and are configured to mate with two receptacles42 of the top piece 32. The receptacles 42 of the reel 40 and the matingcomponents 68 of the slack storage tray 60 are not limited to being inthe number depicted and could be arranged in other configurations. FIGS.11A, 11B, and 11C are top, bottom, and side views respectively of theslack storage tray 60, further showing the features described above inrelation to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 .

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of a cable reel 70 with the slackstorage tray 60 coupled thereto. The reel 70 is an adjustable heightreel. For example, FIG. 13 is side view of the cable reel 70, showingthe reel in a low position. The reel 70 comprises pieces 72 and 74 areconfigured as described above for the reel pieces 32 and 34. The cablereel 70 is larger than the reel 30 of FIGS. 2 to 9 , having a diameterof about 6 inches. In this embodiment, the slack storage tray 60 issmaller than the reel pieces 72 and 74. In other embodiments, a largerreel may accommodate a larger slack storage tray. The slack storage tray60 may also optionally be removed from the reel 70.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the enclosure 10 includes an adjustableheight reel 16 having a slack storage tray configured according toaspects disclosed herein. Various embodiments of reels disclosed hereinmay be used in a variety of enclosures, including but not limited tooptical fiber terminals, wall boxes, pedestals, and cabinets. Variousembodiments of the optical fiber reels and enclosures disclosed hereinare designed to fast-track and simplify fiber installations. Variousembodiments have a compact design that efficiently uses available space.Various embodiments disclosed herein are simpler and easier to use thanconventional reels and enclosures.

In some embodiments, the enclosure may provide 12 SC or 24 LCconnections on the front of the spool and MPO, plug-and-play, SC/LCbreakouts or pigtails on the back side of the spool. Various embodimentsof the enclosure may provide fiber terminations that are TelcordiaGR-326 compliant. Various embodiments may support all industry standardsingle mode and multi-mode connectors. Various embodiments of theenclosure have less than or equal to about 0.2 dB insertion loss,exceeding industry standards.

Various embodiments may be configured for both indoor and outdoor use.Various embodiments of the enclosure may include a gasket seal forprotection from elements. In various embodiments, the enclosure may haveone or more sealed or sealable ports for protection from elements oroperation in an outdoor environment. Some embodiments may be made ofhigh-impact and flame retardant PVC for durability.

Various embodiments of the optical fiber enclosure may be configured forwall mounting. In some embodiments, the enclosure may include a securityscrew with the ability to secure with padlock.

Various embodiments of the optical fiber reels and enclosure may beconfigured to accept a variety of drop cables. Various embodiments ofthe enclosure may be integrated into any network architecture anddeployment. For example, the enclosure may be used in a fiberdistribution system comprising one or more distribution terminals. Insome embodiments, the fiber distribution system may comprise a pluralityof distribution terminals arranged in a daisy chained configuration. Adistribution terminal may have at least one feeder port and a pluralityof distribution ports. Each of the at least one feeder port and theplurality of distribution ports may be sealable ports configured toreceive a duct configured to receive pushable fiber therethrough or aconnector, and the connector may be configured to interface with a droptype cable. The fiber distribution system may comprise an enclosureconfigured according to aspects of the present disclosure. The enclosuremay be configured as a tap box for mounting at a user location. Theenclosure may have at least one sealable port configured to receive oneof a connector and a duct configured to receive pushable fibertherethrough, and may include a spool. In some embodiments, the sealableports of the enclosure may further include anti-rotation lockingfeatures.

In some embodiments, the distribution terminal may be configured toreceive a fiber through the feeder port and to output a plurality offibers through the plurality of distribution ports of the terminal, atleast one fiber of the plurality of fibers being received by theenclosure through the sealable port of the enclosure.

In some embodiments, the terminal may be configured to receive aplurality of swappable modules. In some embodiments, the module may beconfigured to receive different types of splitters having differentsplit ratios. In some embodiments, the module may be configured toreceive any optical component, including any type of connector.

In some embodiments, the enclosure may comprise a single reel. The reelmay optionally have a slack storage tray. In other embodiments, theenclosure may comprise a plurality of reels, each of which mayoptionally have a slack storage tray. In some embodiments, the pluralityof reels may be stackable and configured to provide slack storage, forexample, of about 600 feet.

The fiber distribution system may further comprise a plurality ofconnectors. The connectors may be configured to couple with a pluralityof distribution ports of the distribution terminal. The adapter plate ofthe enclosure may be configured to receive the connectors. In someembodiments, each connector of the plurality of connectors may beconfigured to receive epoxy so as to provide a hardened connector.

In some embodiments, the enclosure may comprise a mount configured toattach the enclosure to a user location. The enclosure may comprise atleast one sealable port configured to receive one of a connector and aduct configured to receive pushable fiber therethrough. The enclosuremay comprise at least one port configured to provide a drop cable to theuser location, and at least one reel. In some embodiments, the enclosuremay be configured to provide a plurality of different types of dropcables.

This disclosure is not limited to the particular systems, devices andmethods described, as these may vary. The terminology used in thedescription is for the purpose of describing the particular versions orembodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope.

In the above detailed description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbolstypically identify similar components, unless context dictatesotherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detaileddescription, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Otherembodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presentedherein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the presentdisclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in theFigures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designedin a wide variety of different configurations, all of which areexplicitly contemplated herein.

The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particularembodiments described in this application, which are intended asillustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations canbe made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparentto those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods andapparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to thoseenumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from theforegoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intendedto fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosureis to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along withthe full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It isto be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particularmethods, reagents, compounds, compositions or biological systems, whichcan, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminologyused herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodimentsonly, and is not intended to be limiting.

As used in this document, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skillin the art. Nothing in this disclosure is to be construed as anadmission that the embodiments described in this disclosure are notentitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. Asused in this document, the term “comprising” means “including, but notlimited to.”

While various compositions, methods, and devices are described in termsof “comprising” various components or steps (interpreted as meaning“including, but not limited to”), the compositions, methods, and devicescan also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various componentsand steps, and such terminology should be interpreted as definingessentially closed-member groups.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of theappended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such anintent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence ofsuch recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should be interpreted to mean “at least one”or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articlesused to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specificnumber of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should beinterpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the barerecitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, means at leasttwo recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in thoseinstances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C,etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the senseone having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “asystem having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not belimited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and Btogether, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and Ctogether, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “atleast one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a constructionis intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understandthe convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” wouldinclude but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, Calone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A,B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those withinthe art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting twoor more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, ordrawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities ofincluding one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. Forexample, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include thepossibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are describedin terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize thatthe disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individualmember or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and allpurposes, such as in terms of providing a written description, allranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subrangesand combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easilyrecognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range beingbroken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths,tenths, etc. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein canbe readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third,etc. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all languagesuch as “up to,” “at least,” and the like include the number recited andrefer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges asdiscussed above. Finally, as will be understood by one skilled in theart, a range includes each individual member. Thus, for example, a grouphaving 1-3 cells refers to groups having 1, 2, or 3 cells. Similarly, agroup having 1-5 cells refers to groups having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cells,and so forth.

Various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, oralternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systemsor applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipatedalternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may besubsequently made by those skilled in the art, each of which is alsointended to be encompassed by the disclosed embodiments.

We claim:
 1. An adjustable height reel comprising: a first piece forminga bottom portion of the reel; a second piece forming a top portion ofthe reel; each of the first piece and the second piece comprising: abase; one or more first tabs protruding from the base, each of the oneor more first tabs comprising a first opening and a second opening,wherein the first opening is disposed at a distal portion of each firsttab of the one or more first tabs, and the second opening is disposed ata proximal portion of each first tab of the one or more first tabs; andone or more second tabs protruding from the base, each of the one ormore second tabs comprising a pin, wherein the pin of the first piece isconfigured to selectively engage the first opening of the second pieceto lock the adjustable height reel at a first height, or to selectivelyengage the second opening of the second piece to lock the adjustableheight reel at a second height.
 2. The adjustable height reel of claim1, wherein the first piece and the second piece are substantiallyidentical.
 3. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, wherein each of thefirst piece and the second piece are formed integrally as a singlepiece.
 4. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, wherein the one or morefirst tabs comprise two or more first tabs, and wherein one or moresecond tabs comprise two or more second tabs, wherein the one or morefirst tabs and the one or more second tabs are arranged in analternating order to form a substantially cylindrical shape extendingfrom the base.
 5. The adjustable height reel of claim 4, wherein thebase has a first diameter, and the substantially cylindrical shape has asecond diameter smaller than the first diameter.
 6. The adjustableheight reel of claim 4, wherein the two or more first tabs comprisethree first tabs, and wherein the two or more second tabs comprise threesecond tabs.
 7. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, wherein the oneor more first tabs and the one or more second tabs are shaped with adistal portion that is narrower than a proximal portion to facilitatecoupling of the first piece with the second piece.
 8. The adjustableheight reel of claim 1, wherein the one or more first tabs and the oneor more second tabs are angled to facilitate coupling of the first piecewith the second piece.
 9. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, whereinone or more of first piece and the second piece further comprise acentral receptacle configured to receive a shaft of a spindle.
 10. Theadjustable height reel of claim 9, wherein the spindle is fastened to amounting wall of an enclosure to all allow the reel to rotate within theenclosure.
 11. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, wherein the pin isdisposed at a distal portion of each of second tab of the one or moresecond tabs.
 12. The adjustable height reel of claim 1, wherein thesecond height is smaller than the first height.
 13. The adjustableheight reel of claim 1, further comprising a slack storage trayconfigured to couple to at least one of the first piece and the secondpiece.
 14. The adjustable height reel of claim 13, wherein at least oneof the first piece and the second piece further comprises a centralportion having a plurality of receptacles for coupling to the slackstorage tray.
 15. The adjustable height reel of claim 13, wherein theslack storage tray further comprises a plurality of protrusionsconfigured to hold slack fiber.
 16. The adjustable height reel of claim13, wherein the slack storage tray comprises a circumferential wallhaving one or more openings configured to allow entry or exit of slackoptical fiber into the slack storage tray.
 17. An enclosure comprising:a housing having an interior space and a cover; and an adjustable heightreel configured to mount within the interior space, and comprising: afirst piece forming a bottom portion of the reel; a second piece forminga top portion of the reel; each of the first piece and the second piececomprising: a base; one or more first tabs protruding from the base,each of the one or more first tabs comprising a first opening and asecond opening, wherein the first opening is disposed at a distalportion of each first tab of the one or more first tabs, and the secondopening is disposed at a proximal portion of each first tab of the oneor more first tabs; and one or more second tabs protruding from thebase, each of the one or more second tabs comprising a pin, wherein thepin of the first piece is configured to selectively engage the firstopening of the second piece to lock the adjustable height reel at afirst height, or to selectively engage the second opening of the secondpiece to lock the adjustable height reel at a second height.
 18. Theenclosure of claim 17, further comprising a gasket seal configured toprotect the interior space from elements.
 19. The enclosure of claim 17,wherein each of the first piece and the second piece are formedintegrally as a single piece, and wherein the one or more first tabscomprise two or more first tabs, and wherein one or more second tabscomprise two or more second tabs, wherein the one or more first tabs andthe one or more second tabs are arranged in an alternating order to forma substantially cylindrical shape extending from the base.